What’s the difference between cheap turbo & name brand?
Depends how cheap....there are some decent knockoffs out there now that really only have the tolerances and quality control as their difference. Then there's junk out there that have different, read bad, fin designs that perform poorly compares to their real counterparts.
Most of the stuff from VS Racing is a good, cheap alternative to the other stuff.
On3... the Huron stuff. Probably all related to the VS stuff and come from the same place in China. But they are good for the price.
If you can fit a T6 Turbo... A BW S475 is as cheap as most of that but will make more power and is more reliable. $699 cheap.
On3... the Huron stuff. Probably all related to the VS stuff and come from the same place in China. But they are good for the price.
If you can fit a T6 Turbo... A BW S475 is as cheap as most of that but will make more power and is more reliable. $699 cheap.
+1 on an s475 I wish I had gone that route in the beginning, the small frame turbos max out pretty quick and have insane back pressure. My car is going to go through a make over to run a t6 borg of some sort.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Florida
part of it is a QA department. but i think most of it is modern design.
the more expensive 'real' stuff is a much newer, better design. the 'ebay' stuff is old tech. these days the durability is pretty good on the cheap garbage. i have a ton of miles on my $250 rev9 turbos with zero problems but my super fancy fp turbo on my evo is in a whole other realm for 5 times the price. both are good buys for their applications.
the more expensive 'real' stuff is a much newer, better design. the 'ebay' stuff is old tech. these days the durability is pretty good on the cheap garbage. i have a ton of miles on my $250 rev9 turbos with zero problems but my super fancy fp turbo on my evo is in a whole other realm for 5 times the price. both are good buys for their applications.
Depends how cheap....there are some decent knockoffs out there now that really only have the tolerances and quality control as their difference. Then there's junk out there that have different, read bad, fin designs that perform poorly compares to their real counterparts.
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
Which name brand is considered the most efficient? Or are they all close to the same? Looking to spend money in the right place.
Aspirations are twin turbo stock ci 5.3 LC9 800 rwhp 50//50 drag daily driver. T56 in a 67 Nova. Might go flex fuel.
Aspirations are twin turbo stock ci 5.3 LC9 800 rwhp 50//50 drag daily driver. T56 in a 67 Nova. Might go flex fuel.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 711
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From: PNW
You need to familiarize yourself with the term “manufacturing tolerances”
Sometimes you get a good cheap part, sometimes you get a bad one, because the tolerances are wide f’in open on cheap stuff - but you’re pretty much guaranteed a good part from a high quality company because the tolerances are really tight - but tight tolerances cost more money.
Sometimes you get a good cheap part, sometimes you get a bad one, because the tolerances are wide f’in open on cheap stuff - but you’re pretty much guaranteed a good part from a high quality company because the tolerances are really tight - but tight tolerances cost more money.
You need to familiarize yourself with the term “manufacturing tolerances”
Sometimes you get a good cheap part, sometimes you get a bad one, because the tolerances are wide f’in open on cheap stuff - but you’re pretty much guaranteed a good part from a high quality company because the tolerances are really tight - but tight tolerances cost more money.
Sometimes you get a good cheap part, sometimes you get a bad one, because the tolerances are wide f’in open on cheap stuff - but you’re pretty much guaranteed a good part from a high quality company because the tolerances are really tight - but tight tolerances cost more money.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Florida
you can get a couple t4 gt35s that have proven to make about 800wheel on a 5.3 for $500. they might be a little lazy but they will do it. that would leave you the money for higher quality injectors or a better clutch or whatever.
on the other hand, a couple tiny PTE billets will do it for 8x the cost, but they will spool much much better.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,177
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From: Florida
what turbos are you talking about? FP teamed with tial and builds most of their own parts, PTE manufactures a lot of their stuff too, Bullseye has its own foundry that it uses for casting all kinds of stuff.
My first turbo was an S475 from FI-this build I got the 83/75 billet on sale from VS, seems to
work ok so far, but I noticed on the exhaust side the bore wasn't exactly centered, but everything was
line bored so it was true straight thru. If it dies, I will prob go back to a BW-just the T4 is more pricy
than the T6.
work ok so far, but I noticed on the exhaust side the bore wasn't exactly centered, but everything was
line bored so it was true straight thru. If it dies, I will prob go back to a BW-just the T4 is more pricy
than the T6.
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 487
Likes: 4
My first turbo was an S475 from FI-this build I got the 83/75 billet on sale from VS, seems to
work ok so far, but I noticed on the exhaust side the bore wasn't exactly centered, but everything was
line bored so it was true straight thru. If it dies, I will prob go back to a BW-just the T4 is more pricy
than the T6.
work ok so far, but I noticed on the exhaust side the bore wasn't exactly centered, but everything was
line bored so it was true straight thru. If it dies, I will prob go back to a BW-just the T4 is more pricy
than the T6.
Restricted User
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 7,192
Likes: 109
From: Ohio
Name brands do the R&D, so wheel designs and housings will always be 1-step ahead.
OEM brands (ESPECIALLY for commercial use like Borg Warner) will always be most reliable.
Power and reliability don't always go hand-in-hand, look at Precision. Probably the most aggressive wheel designs out there. Those turbos fail more often than teenage marriages.
OEM brands (ESPECIALLY for commercial use like Borg Warner) will always be most reliable.
Power and reliability don't always go hand-in-hand, look at Precision. Probably the most aggressive wheel designs out there. Those turbos fail more often than teenage marriages.